State-owned Sinochem is one of China's largest umbrella companies, with businesses in oil, agriculture pesticides, financial services and high-end real estate. Three of those
subsidiaries are publicly listed and recently have been aggressively acquiring market share.

This November its energy arm -- China's No. 4 oil company -- will bid for Iraqi oil fields; in September, its fertilizer, pesticide and seed business targeted an Australian firm
with a $2.4 billion offer.